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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26574628">The Cat's Pajamas</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/CherryBlossomTree13/pseuds/CherryBlossomTree13'>CherryBlossomTree13</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Accidental Voyeurism, Adult Hermione Granger, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cat Draco Malfoy, Cat/Human Hybrids, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Eventual Smut, F/M, Good Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger-centric, Mystery, Oral Sex, POV Draco Malfoy, POV Hermione Granger, Post-Battle of Hogwarts, Post-Hogwarts, Post-War, Romance, Rough Sex, Serial Killers, Slow Build, Slow Burn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 11:22:38</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,467</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26574628</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/CherryBlossomTree13/pseuds/CherryBlossomTree13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Of all the people he'd been taken in by, it just had to be Granger. The insufferable little know-it-all was the reason why he was in this mess to begin with. And here he was sitting naked in her kitchen while being hunted by whoever was left amongst the most depraved of Voldemort's followers with no option but to remain in his animagus form; a fluffy white cat.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>252</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Draco Malfoy ran until he thought his lungs were going to burst, each breath stinging like a thousand fiery needles before he collapsed in a heap onto the cold earth, sobbing and retching uncontrollably.</p>
<p>He had just blown up Malfoy Manor and everyone in it.</p>
<p>Planning this had been months in the making - meticulous groundwork and scouting to find the weakest points in the massive building's foundations, not to mention hundreds of hours spent on strengthening and multiplying his bombardment charms, timing them perfectly so that they would all go off at once. He had gone over the agenda countless times - even in his dreams - but when the time came to deliver, his execution had been sloppy and careless.</p>
<p>The young wizard thought himself a man with nerves of steel - thought everything he had been through in the past few years was enough to prepare himself for blowing up the house he had grown up in along with the soulless filth which now inhabited it.</p>
<p>He was wrong.</p>
<p>The sound of screaming and pounding footsteps could be heard in the distance and Malfoy hastily scrambled off the ground, wiping his chin indelicately as he continued running, grimacing in pain while keeping his eye on an unassuming pile of rocks a few yards in front.</p>
<p>Those stones were his marker - get to the stones and he was beyond the trace they had set up along the perimeter of the mansion.</p>
<p>Get to the stones and he could apparate.</p>
<p>Get to the stones and he was free.</p>
<p>Draco could taste blood, coppery and unpleasant as he tried to ignore the feeling of his ribcage crunching and grinding with every step. The nearly overwhelming pain which threatened to bring him down with each breath.</p>
<p>But he was so close.</p>
<p>"There's the little bastard!"</p>
<p>Draco's stomach lurched and his knees faltered, legs wobbling like a pair of twigs caught in a hurricane at the sound of the surviving Death Eaters who were hot on his tail, bright red flashes of light narrowly missing the ground beside him as he closed in on his marker.</p>
<p>Just a few more steps.</p>
<p>With one last surge of adrenaline, the man leapt towards the stones, his face cracking in a hysterical, bloody grin as he felt the weight of their evil lift away from the air.</p>
<p>He took one last painful, shaky breath as he turned around to absorb the chaotic aftermath of the explosion - flames burning sky high as bright embers fell like falling stars toward the blackened remains of what used to be his life - before he apparated into the night with a loud <em>crack!</em></p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <em>
    <strong>Six Months Later</strong>
  </em>
</p>
<p>Hermione Granger scratched her chin with her wand, staring with a slight grimace at her reflection in the mirror.</p>
<p>Dark circles hung beneath her brown eyes and her skin had an unhealthy pallor to it - the consequences of a nearly endless string of ceremonies commemorating her, Ronald and Harry.</p>
<p>They were the <em>Golden Trio - </em>the ones who had won the war.</p>
<p>She knew they'd had a large hand in the defeat of the Dark Lord, but the stroke which turned the tide had been a freak accident.</p>
<p>If Malfoy Manor hadn't combusted into flames seemingly of its own accord, Hermione knew she might not be standing here today. That explosion wiped out half of Voldemort's followers and his horcrux, Nagini.</p>
<p>She, Ron and Harry could hardly be given credit for <em>that.</em></p>
<p>And yet here they were.</p>
<p>"Granger, you're on in five"</p>
<p>The girl smiled weakly at the intern who poked his head inside the dressing room of the Wizarding World News, a global broadcasting network that had been founded by Lee Jordan shortly after the war. He had turned Potterwatch radio into a multi-million Galleon business venture and within a few short months, he was already giving the Daily Prophet a run for their money.</p>
<p>Deciding to get some air before heading on stage with a fake smile and the same story the world had undoubtedly heard hundreds of times before, the woman cracked the door open and breathed in the fresh smell of rain as it hit the pavement behind the studio, the narrow alleyway lined with dumpsters and black rubbish bags.</p>
<p>It was less than glamorous, but it was quiet and that was all she needed at the moment.</p>
<p>She closed her eyes and felt a few droplets of water fall from the heavens onto her upturned face as she smiled slightly, remembering the times she'd done this from her bedroom window as a little girl.</p>
<p>
  <em>CLANG!</em>
</p>
<p>Hermione's eyes flew open and her wand was out instantly, steadily trained onto the source of the clatter as she approached the overturned bin cautiously, nearly laughing at her own paranoia when she spotted a sleek, white cat with glittering grey eyes staring at her with disdain.</p>
<p>"Hullo little guy," she crooned, crouching down to examine the feline who only gave her a wary look, backing away with his ears flattened.</p>
<p>"It's okay - I won't hurt you," Hermione promised, reaching a hand out towards the creature. The cat was massive, but she could see the stark outline of his ribs through the once sleek and soft fur which was now matted and dirty. The cat sat on its haunches, back straight and ears pointed upwards as it glared at her.</p>
<p>The witch cocked her head at the animal; despite his decidedly haggard appearance, the feline still looked extraordinarily out of place, as though a Royal had misplaced their beloved pet on a trip to town and the poor thing never found its way back to Buckingham Palace.</p>
<p>"Fancy a scrap of bacon?" She asked, as though genuinely expecting an answer. Hermione got up and stretched the kink out from her legs and back, twisting unceremoniously before heading back into her dressing room with a yawn.</p>
<p>It was nearly noon and she was already exhausted.</p>
<p>She grabbed the last few rashers from the plate she'd brought in from the canteen and tossed it out the door to the cat who snatched them mid air, gobbling the meat down as though he hadn't eaten in weeks.</p>
<p>Hermione clucked reproachfully, a pang of pity shooting through her heart at the animal's blatant display of hunger.</p>
<p>He sat there, licking his paws for a few moments, wet and miserable in the rain before daring to come closer to the strange human who smiled sadly at the unfortunate beast.</p>
<p>"I'm sorry kitty, that's all I had," she whispered, tentatively reaching out to stroke his head.</p>
<p>The cat froze, seemingly unsure of what to do before he leaned into her palm for a few seconds, regally repositioning himself into an upright position before she pulled away, eyeing the woman as though he had merely <em>allowed </em>her to pet him this once.</p>
<p>"Granger! You're up!"</p>
<p>Hermione let out a deflated sigh and turned to head back inside, throwing the abandoned cat another glance as she hugged the door frame.</p>
<p>"Until next time, Mr. Whiskers."</p>
<p>The witch disappeared into the building while the cat deftly jumped onto the window sill, watching and waiting for her to return as a glimmer of hope burned deep within his marble grey eyes.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Hermione watched on, yawning once more as she propped her chin up with a hand while Ronald Weasley absorbed question after question of mundane inquiries directed at the trio.</p>
<p>She stole a quick glance at Harry who seemed equally as bored - twiddling his thumbs, bright green eyes glazed over and staring off into the distance.</p>
<p>Only Ron seemed interested in what was going on; talking animatedly while retelling his version of events for the umpteenth time, a wide grin on his freckled face as he regaled Lee and the rest of the crew with colourful imagery and loud sound effects.</p>
<p>Hermione stared at her former flame like a rotting piece of fruit that she could do absolutely nothing to save.</p>
<p>The aftermath of war and the celebrity which ensued had turned the tall, lanky Weasley boy - who had been so overlooked in his youth - into something of an attention whore. The once easy going, laid back ginger had turned into an egotistical maniac utterly high on his own drama.</p>
<p>But at least he was happy now living out his deepest most desperate desires, bathing in the limelight after decades of living in the shadows of his brothers and friends.</p>
<p>Ronald was enjoying every second while Harry and the young witch balked at the celebrity.</p>
<p>Harry, being somewhat accustomed to the ridiculous scrutiny and attention since the start of his time at Hogwarts, seemed rather unphased by the hushed whispers, outright cheering, picture taking, screaming and hysteria which followed them everywhere now.</p>
<p>But Hermione? God, she hated it.</p>
<p>The droves of wizards and even witches who threw themselves at her, desperate for a wayward glance, wave or smile from the heroine was absolutely mental. She had received thousands of bouquets of fresh flowers since May, some of them sang and others were charmed so each bloom would spring up and dance around the table. There were hundreds of thousands of letters, chocolates and marriage proposals from every corner of the wizarding world and it was indescribably overwhelming.</p>
<p>"Hermione?"</p>
<p>"Hmm?" The witch jolted up in her seat, staring blankly at Lee who was waiting for a response with baited breath.</p>
<p>"What do you look for then?"</p>
<p>
  <em>Well shit.</em>
</p>
<p>"I'm sorry, I wasn't listening," she confessed sheepishly, hearing Harry chuckle quietly as she tucked a piece of hair behind her ears which were glowing red.</p>
<p>Jordan grinned, completely unphased by the lack of attention as he reiterated his query.</p>
<p>"What do you look for in a mate?"</p>
<p>The woman screwed her face up at the question; <em>mate? </em>Were they wild animals?</p>
<p>Had the conversation strayed this far into nothingness that he was now asking what she preferred in a sexual partner?</p>
<p>"Umm, well humility I'd say is the biggest thing," she stated, throwing Ron a deceitful smile. "I can't be dealing with these narcissistic divas who only want to talk about themselves all the time."</p>
<p>Harry was coughing into his sleeve in a vain attempt to conceal his laughter as Weasley's ears turned as red as his hair.</p>
<p>Just then, one of the overhanging lights on stage fell to the floor with a deafening <em><strong>CRASH</strong></em> and everyone around them jumped in alarm - a fairly standard reception which juxtaposed the extreme reaction from Harry, Ron and Hermione.</p>
<p>The psychologically scarred trio immediately threw themselves behind the large couches, ducking reflexively while throwing stunning spells left, right and center. Years of being hunted at every turn had clearly left its toll on them - it took a few minutes of confused yelling and cautious soothing by Lee until the three friends crawled out from behind their refuge feeling utterly embarrassed at their severe overreaction.</p>
<p>The interview was cut short; a trembling and disoriented Hermione suddenly being escorted back to her dressing room by at least three people who clutched at her elbows as though she would topple over at any second. Her head swung around to see Harry and Ron being carried off in the same manner, both going separate directions.</p>
<p>The small crew carefully helped sit her down on the plush recliner and brought a glass of water and more food.</p>
<p>"Stay put, we've got Healers coming in from St. Mungo's any second now!" A tall American wizard informed, eliciting an enormous groan from the witch.</p>
<p>"I'm fine!" She lied, not wanting to endure another round of useless questions and checkups when she knew there was nothing to be done for the lasting effects of war on her psyche.</p>
<p>But the door slammed closed and she was left alone in the suffocating room once again.</p>
<p>She instantly grabbed a stack of Belgian waffles off the tray they'd provided and began stuffing them into her mouth, sighing immensely as the sweet syrup coated her frazzled senses in a sugary embrace, slowly soothing her nerves.</p>
<p>She took an enormous sip of water and began to focus on her breathing.</p>
<p>Breathe in and hold for five, breathe out and hold for six.</p>
<p>She repeated the exercise at least a dozen times before she got up for another taste of fresh air, pulling the door open just as the white cat from earlier slipped straight into the room.</p>
<p>Hermione blinked at it in surprise, somewhat taken aback by the sheer confidence of the animal as it hopped onto the chair she'd been sitting in and curled into a fluffy ball of matted fur.</p>
<p>"Oh no, no, no," the witch tutted, reaching over to shoo the creature away.</p>
<p>It simply opened an eye to look at her boredly, refusing to budge as she scowled at its response.</p>
<p>"Come on you floof, I can't have you in here!" Hermione exclaimed, reaching over to grab another waffle off the tray before brandishing the food in front of the cat's nose. Both of the animal's grey eyes flew open and he sat up straight as a board, eyeing the treat hungrily as the woman tore off a piece and tossed it to the ground. The cat leapt off the chair and pounced on the waffle, gobbling up the confectionary in a single bite.</p>
<p>"Good kitty, you like waffles?" She cooed, dangling the rest of the food before the salivating animal while opening the door. "Go, go get the waffle!" She ordered, tossing the doughy treat into the alley, fully expecting to see a flash of white fur dart out after it.</p>
<p>To her sheer incredulity, the cat sat motionless as it eyed her with disapproval, gracefully hopping back onto the chair.</p>
<p>"Crafty little bugger, aren't you?" Hermione remarked, closing the door as she took a few steps toward the creature, watching its furry body rise and fall gently with the rhythm of its breathing. The witch smiled, it had been quite some time since she'd had the pleasure of a cat's company - she had left Crookshanks with her parents before modifying their memories. She found herself missing the days of a warm ball furball curled onto her lap while she read in front of the fireplace.</p>
<p>Hermione reached over to scratch behind its ears but the cat backed away from her hand, staring pointedly at the last remaining waffle on the tray.</p>
<p>"Oh, so <em>that's </em>how it's going to be?" She laughed, tearing the food into tiny pieces before setting it down in front of the animal to eat. The creature devoured the treats while she stroked his fur, relishing in the therapeutic effects of petting the animal.</p>
<p>She already felt much better as she set her head down on the side of the chair, contentedly watching the cat eat while letting her fingers trail through his matted coat.</p>
<p>The door creaked open and a surprisingly handsome Healer garbed in robes of pure white gingerly stepped in; he had shining blonde hair, crystal blue eyes and a jawline that could cut paper.</p>
<p>"Ms. Granger?"</p>
<p>The woman in question quickly picked herself off the ground, brushing off the grey pant suit and nervously brushing her hair with her fingers.</p>
<p>"Yes, nice to meet you," Hermione offered, extending her hand out by way of greeting.</p>
<p>The Healer smiled and gripped her palm with skin colder than ice, his bright blue eyes studying her carefully while his own expression remained guarded.</p>
<p>
  <em>Meoowwww!</em>
</p>
<p>Both pairs of eyes flicked towards the massive white cat which was now arching its back and baring its sharp little teeth at the man who had entered the room.</p>
<p>"Is that yours?" The Healer asked distastefully, his gaze suddenly dark as he glared at the animal as though it were a walking disease.</p>
<p>"Er..."</p>
<p>Hermione definitely wasn't going to mind having a cat around, and she <em>had </em>been planning on another pet even before Crookshanks had gone to Australia with Mr. And Mrs. Granger.</p>
<p>Perhaps this was fate's way of handing her a new companion to help her cope with the emotional trauma which seemed to surface at the most random times. The thought of snuggling with the little kitty during long, dark nights where sleep seemed impossible was definitely appealing.</p>
<p>"Yes, he's mine," Hermione affirmed, proud of her utterly spontaneous decision to adopt the stray after several sessions of her therapist urging her to "live in the moment."</p>
<p>The handsome young man threw another dark look towards the animal who hissed in response.</p>
<p>"You don't like cats?" Hermione assumed, bending down to calm the creature with a few soothing words and scratches behind the ears.</p>
<p>"I hate them," he replied with no trace of kindness, glaring at the cat as though he would eat it if the witch turned her back. She shuddered involuntarily, her magic and intuition sending up red flags about the wizard but the next second he was all charm and white teeth as he dazzled the woman with a smile before introducing himself.</p>
<p>"I'm Healer Evans from St. Mungo's, I'm here to ask you a couple of questions if that's alright with you."</p>
<p>Hermione nodded, sighing internally as she prepared for the onslaught probing inquiries which questioned her sanity and mental stability.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Twenty minutes later Granger left the dressing room with her trench coat, bag and a massive new kitty who trailed along behind her as though they'd been companions for decades.</p>
<p>"Oi, Mione!"</p>
<p>Ron's voice echoed through the corridors as he called after his friend who stopped in her tracks.</p>
<p>"You alright?" The red-head asked, looking her up and down as though the state of her mental health would be written on her face.</p>
<p>"I'm fine, and you?"</p>
<p>The man shrugged, scratching the back of his head awkwardly, his eyes darting to the ground as they widened in shock.</p>
<p>"What the bloody hell is <em>that?" </em>He cried, staggering backwards as Hermione followed his gaze to the cat who sat patiently at her feet, giving Ron an unsavoury glare.</p>
<p>"It's a cat, Ronald. What does it look like?" She retorted, bending over to pluck the animal off the ground and grimacing at the feel of sharp bones - she needed to get him some proper food and fast.</p>
<p>"Jesus, It's enormous!" Weasley exclaimed, examining the creature as though expecting it leap out of her arms and maul him.</p>
<p>"He's thin as a rail though, poor guy hasn't had much to eat in a while," Hermione tutted, stroking the creature as her fingers caught in a series of tangles and knots. The witch frowned, adding a brush and grooming equipment to her shopping list.</p>
<p>"Look, Hermione…" Her friend ran his hands through his hair as he struggled to speak, blue eyes looking anywhere but her. "About us…"</p>
<p>"There is no <em>us</em>, Ronald," she replied matter-of-factly, trying to smile at him so he knew she wasn't upset in the slightest. Her cat jumped out of her hands and took a seat in between them, grey eyes staring back and forth as though expecting a volley of insults. "I'll always love you, just not in <em>that </em>way."</p>
<p>Weasley's relief was nearly palpable as he nodded, thankful she had been the first to say it.</p>
<p>"Love you too, 'Mione," he said, smiling fondly at his bushy haired friend, giving her a platonic pat on the side of the head before he turned around and joined the pretty stage manager who was fiddling nervously with her clipboard. Ron slipped an arm behind her back and they walked away, flirting and laughing loudly.</p>
<p>Hermione smiled after them, genuinely happy for him. She peered down at the feline who nearly looked disappointed at their amicable separation.</p>
<p>"Come on, kitty let's get you some food."</p>
<hr/>
<p>Granger was curled up on her cushy sofa, a cup of tea in one hand a copy of the Daily Prophet in the other while her cat dozed peacefully on the armchair.</p>

<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em>
      <strong>Several former Death Eaters still at large</strong>
    </em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>
      <strong>Six long months after the faithful explosion at Malfoy Manor has passed and we have yet to see some of the most notorious members of You-Know-Who's ranks be brought to justice. Among them are Lucius Malfoy; the once respected Ministry employee has all but disappeared off the face of the planet along with his wife and son. Most notably however is the Ministry's failure to apprehend and identify the Death Eater known only as "the Reaper." Many feel unsafe knowing that the individual responsible for the brutal mutilation and murders of hundreds of Muggleborns is still at large with no means of identification...</strong>
    </em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p>Hermione shuddered, clutching the blanket closer at the invisible chill which swept through her soul.</p>
<p>The cat let out a loud snore and the young witch startled at the sound, looking over to watch the animal sleeping peacefully.</p>
<p>She had tried feeding him three different brands of kitty food to no avail. She'd finally gave up and started her own dinner - roast chicken and potatoes - and found that he was practically sitting in her lap, staring up at her with enormous grey eyes, waiting to be fed.</p>
<p>Yawning enormously, Hermione set the harrowing news article down on the table and headed off to bed, double checking that the new litter box was nearby. She gave the sleeping animal a small scratch behind the ears before retreating to her room and turning off the lights.</p>
<hr/>
<p>A solid hour and a half later, once he was certain she was asleep, the cat jumped off of the sofa and crept into the kitchen where he finally transformed into his human state for the first time in what felt like an age.</p>
<p>Draco Malfoy was stark naked, shaking and cold while his eyes adjusted to the blinding darkness which did little to bother him as a cat. His nails were filthy and he reeked of sweat and urine, he could practically feel his ribs poking out from under his skin as he dove headfirst towards the refrigerator.</p>
<p>He nearly cried at the sight of the mudblood's fully stocked fridge, grabbing handfuls of whatever he could reach - onions, carrots, milk, leftover taco meat. He ate them ferociously and with little care towards the mess he was making, cramming the sustenance into his gob like a wild animal and for the first time ever, thanked the stars for Hermione Granger.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Adrift</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It wasn’t until after his sixth handful of Weetabix that his stomach began twisting and he ran toward the sink, retching into the metal basin until the disgusting mix of food left his system. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He collected his breath for a moment, wiping his lips with the back of his hand before turning on the tap and drinking water straight from the faucet. He quickly shoved the food back into the cupboards and collapsed in the middle of the quiet kitchen, stretching his fingers methodically as though he’d forgotten how to use them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Of all the people he’d been taken in by, it just </span>
  <em>
    <span>had</span>
  </em>
  <span> to be Granger. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The insufferable little know-it-all was the reason he was in this mess to begin with - the night his aunt had tortured her at Malfoy Manor was the night which had shaken him to his core. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>All the Pureblood elitism, all the self-righteous dogma that he’d been fed since infancy came shattering down around him like shards of broken glass while she screamed for help. His insides burned with each of her shrieks, setting his soul on fire hotter than the flames of Hell he knew he was condemned to.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Because all of sudden it wasn’t just some nameless, faceless stranger they were preparing to sacrifice in the name of Voldemort’s cause - it was </span>
  <em>
    <span>her.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was </span>
  <em>
    <span>them</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The annoying trio of righteous do-gooders whom he'd sworn to fight against. He thought he’d hated them, yet somewhere along the way he'd come to care for them apparently - in his own perverse, twisted way. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Clearly all the caneings and beatings did nothing to steel his heart against such foolish acts of weakness. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And of course the cherry on the cake of his misfortune had been the rumours which centred around his mother. That Voldemort was planning an abhorrent punishment designed for his and Lucius' failures that involved mutilating Narcissa.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He thought of her now, desperately wishing she was somewhere safe; as happy as circumstances would allow and far, far away from here.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He recalled the look of shock and confusion on his mother's face when she realized he'd drugged her before shipping her off to who knows where in the arms of that idiot Werewolf, Lupin. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He had no idea the whereabouts of his father, of whether or not he was even still alive. His goal for the past year had been merely to survive by whatever means necessary. Survive so that he might live to see his parents again some day. To see his mother and father happy and </span>
  <em>
    <span>alive.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Draco put his head of matted, filthy hair in his hands, rocking himself back and forth on the cold tile floor as he thought of them for a moment. He thought of how many things he’d taken for granted now that he was sitting naked in a mudblood’s kitchen while being hunted by whoever was left amongst the most depraved of Voldemort's followers. Knowing that if he was ever caught, The Reaper would skin him alive and use his entrails to hang him from what was left of Malfoy Manor. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He began shaking violently, his entire body wracked with chills as nearly a year of starvation, fatigue, stress and anxiety caught up with him. His bones were ice and his teeth clacked together loudly as he keeled over, curling into a ball in a futile attempt to stay warm. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No one but a handful of the Dark Lord’s most trusted knew The Reaper’s true identity, appearing to the rest fully masked and garbed head to toe in black; the only distinguishing characteristic about him was the overbearing shroud of mandarin which he doused himself in to cover the reek of rotting flesh. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The media only knew about a fraction of the awful, disgusting things that man did to prisoners in Malfoy Manor - things that still made Draco’s skin crawl. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The door to Hermione’s bedroom flew open and Draco fought with everything in his power to transform back into a cat; a convulsing ball of white fur when she found him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh no, you poor thing!” Granger gasped, dropping to her knees and scooping him up in her arms. She cradled him, wrapping his bruised and tired body in her pyjamas while she stroked him softly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Draco closed his eyes, pretending he was adrift on a cloud somewhere far away from reality, hoping and praying that he could hang onto his feline form as the world began to swim in circles, his vision slowly turning black.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Its been so long and this chapter is so short. Please forgiveth me.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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